1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quality assurance (QA) program that can be used in any medical discipline, and in particular in the area of radiology. The present invention is a description of a computer-based software program that converts a manual QA process into an automated one. In the process of doing so, a number of objective data are collected for real-time and future analysis, thereby providing objective feedback to all practitioners for continuing quality improvement. The present invention described, transcends the single process of image acquisition alone, and carries over to the additional processes of image display, interpretation, and reporting. In the end, it is intended to improve patient safety and overall clinical outcomes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The first and foremost priority for any QA program is improved quality of service, and for any medical discipline the ultimate goal is improved patient care. This means that the product or service offers a methodology and the means with which to enhance patient diagnosis and/or treatment, and in doing so objectively improves overall health outcomes.
In the case of medical imaging, the primary focus of attention is the medical imaging exam itself, which provides the means with which to make a diagnosis and initiate or adjust clinical management.
For the last 100 years, the end-product of medical imaging was a hard-copy film, which was displayed on a view box by the radiologist and/or clinician. However, in the past decade, medical imaging has undergone a fundamental transition to digital imaging technologies, which capture, archive, transfer, and display medical imaging studies on computers. This affords the opportunity for medical imaging professionals to leverage the enhanced capabilities of computers to automate what was previously a manual process and utilize computer technologies to manipulate the image in a manner that accentuates certain radiologic features to enhance clinical diagnosis.
While the digital transition has expanded the sophistication of technologies available to medical imaging practitioners, most (if not all) providers still operate in a “film based” workflow model. This means that technologists (who acquire the images), radiologists (who interpret the images), administrators (who are responsible for resource allocation), and vendors (who provide the imaging and information technologies), all maintain a QA focus which is outdated and reflective of the more traditional film-based mode of operation. For all intent and purposes, the end-product (medical image) is still thought of and processed in a manner which emulates film, thereby obviating many of the potential advantages of a filmless operation.
Accordingly, the ability to automate what was previously a manual process and use the inherent intelligence and consistency of computers to objectively perform a variety of functions to enhance data collection, analysis, and feedback, is needed.